Surgical instrument



Dec. 21, 1937. v. M. POSADA SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 2'7, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

M H 5 a M M ,7 m

. ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in surgical appliances, and has particular reference to a device adapted for use in facilitating the application of intravenous injections.

The principal object of the invention is to pro- I vide a unique appliance that will perform the dual function of a tourniquet when it encircles the limb of a patient and a vein retainer when positioned over the selected vein whenever in the practice of surgery it is desired to draw blood,

inject medicated fluids or to transfuse blood.

A further object is to construct a device that is easy to operate, simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and a device so constituted that it permits of rapid and easy release of compression so necessary in this particular branch of surgery.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawingforming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a view of a portion of the upper arm and forearm of a person showing my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device per se with the vein retaining plate shown in a reversed position to better illustrate the features of construction of the same;

Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the vein retaining or vein holding plate. Y

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a strip of elastic material that has secured to one end thereof a metallic ring 6, which strip or strap has fastened to its opposite end the vein retaining plate designated as a whole by the numeral 1. As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1, a portion 8 of the strap encircles the upper arm of the patient, indicated by the reference character A, the forearm of the patient in turn being designated by the reference character B. Due to the flexibility and compressible nature of the strap the portion 8 serves as a tourniquet functioning to turn off or restrict the flow of blood from the upper arm to the forearm and therefore causing the vein to be treated, to rapidly swell. When this condition exists the desired action of surgery can readily be resorted to.

The vein retaining plate 1, before referred to, is made of spring metal material and is of a substantially rectangular configuration. It will be noted, as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3,

opening of said plate.

that the said plate is dished or bowed so that the outer marginal edges 9 of a pair of legs or arms ll], lie in a plane above the plane of the inner marginal edges ll, of said legs l0.

It will be noted that a transverse aperture I2 is 5 formed in said plate, in which the lower end of the band 5 is received for fixedly securing thereto said plate I. Directly beneath said aperture I2 I have provided a convex strip 13, which'strip.

functions as a spring so that in the operation of l0 the device the width of the opening 14 that extends between the inner edges of the arms l0 may be readily diminished by merely pressing the fingers on the sides of the said arms. V

In the use of the appliance it is only necesl5 sary to first encircle the upper portion ofthe arm of the patient with the encircling band of the strap 5. The portion 8 is then slidably moved over the arm until the desired point of compression has been reached. The band 5 is then 2 stretched until the desired compression has been obtained. 7 The ringB is then turned toward the root of the limb, and by this action the portion 8 of the band remains fixed against accidental displacement, and the said portionfunctions as a compressor or tourniquet. The plate 1 is then moved over the forearm until the opening M coincides with the axis of the blood vessel selected for treatment. The sides of the legs ll], are then pressed with the thumb and index finger until the vein swells up, expands'or in other words, stands out in bold relief. When the vein is so positionedthe desired action of intravenous surgery is then resorted to and thereafter the limb encircling band is loosened, by pulling on'the band 5.

It is to be understood that the form of my in-'' vention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same. and that various changes relative to the material, 40 size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of. the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:--

1. A surgical appliance comprising a plate for retaining in operative position a vein, said plate embodying in its construction a pair of legs spaced onefrom the other to provide an opening for receiving the vein therein, spring means connecting said legs for diminishing the width of the opening, an elastic compressible memberconnected to said plate and adapted to encircle the limb of a patient, whereby upon compression of said member the vein will be enlarged in the p 2. A surgical appliance comprising a plate for retaining in operative position a vein, said plate consisting of spring metal material and embodying in its construction a pair of angular legs spaced one from the other to provide an opening for receiving the vein therein, a convex cross strip connecting said legs, and an elastic coinpressible member connected to said plate and adapted to encircle the limb of a patient, whereby upon compression of said member the vein will be enlarged in the opening of said plate. VICTOR MANUEL POSADA. 

